Letters to the editor for Thursday, December 6, 2012

The latest fatal accident involving Marlboro High school students at 3:30 a.m. Dec. 1 calls for an enforceable curfew.

In fact, it is past time for lawmakers to pass a New York statewide teenage curfew. Other states that have no such curfew ought to look toward Maryland, which has such a law with one exception, the Shelly Law. The Shelly Law exempts student-athletes.

Basically, Maryland law requires those students up to 18 years of age to be home by midnight for six hours thereafter. This is where the Shelly Law kicks in, creating exceptions for student-athletes who have early morning sports practices.

Such a curfew is easily enforceable by parents and law enforcement.

John W. Dalton Jr.

Westfall Township, Pa.

Once again it is very discouraging to see the county executive vote against funding Valley View Nursing Home, especially since the county legislators found a way to fund it for one more year.

Mr. Diana has been not very forthcoming about the actual cost to run Valley View. When he had a chance to testified before the legislative committee under oath, he refused to do so along with the administrator group running it at the time.

How can we now believe anything he states as the cost, and whether or not it will exceed the tax cap mandate when time and time again his math doesn't add up? I hope that legislators who voted to fund Valley View for one year keep their resolve and override the veto. There are enough votes to do so from the previous vote.

I believe our seniors and patients currently living at Valley View deserve nothing less. When the year is up, then legislators can revisit the actual cost to run Valley View.

Gregory Winner

Slate Hill

I'm glad smokers get help to quit by calling 866-NY-QUITS. The death toll from smoking is staggering, as is the $8 billion annual cost in our tax money for treating smoking diseases.

New York state gets $2 billion a year in tobacco revenues. Do the math. Once a leader, the state continually cuts tobacco control investment — now 16 percent of CDC recommendations. Upstate New York has higher smoking rates and higher cancer rates than the state average. Every week, 28,000 American children have their first cigarette. They remain the industry's target, and youth-rated movies continue to include unnecessary smoking scenes.

Too many of our neighborhood stores continue to display and sell tobacco where kids can see them. It's irresponsible both morally and financially to cut a proven program that's working.

It's great news that a U.S. district court just ruled that tobacco companies must advertise and admit in detail that they "deliberately deceived" Americans about the dangers of smoking and manipulated products to increase addiction. However, the tobacco industry never stops its seductive promotions.

New York state should not surrender its successful progress, especially for our children's sake. Please urge lawmakers to invest in tobacco control — it can save lives you love and tax dollars you pay.